BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 573|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 573
Author: Alarcon (D)
Amended: 1/26/00
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 9-4, 4/21/99
AYES: Alpert, Alarcon, Chesbro, Dunn, Hayden, Hughes,
O'Connell, Sher, Vasconcellos
NOES: McPherson, Haynes, Knight, Monteith
NOT VOTING: Ortiz
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 13-0, 1/26/00
AYES: Johnston, Alpert, Bowen, Burton, Escutia, Johnson,
Karnette, Kelley, Leslie, McPherson, Mountjoy, Perata,
Vasconcellos
SUBJECT : Teachers: hard to staff schools
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill states legislative intent to establish
a program to enhance the training, retention and
recruitment of credentialed teachers in hard to staff
schools.
ANALYSIS :
Marian Bergeson Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment
(BTSA) . Current law provides for the BTSA Program to be
jointly administered by the California Department of
Education (CDE) and the Commission on Teacher Credentialing
CONTINUED
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(CTC). This program provides professional support for
first and second-year teachers who are in need of
assistance in preparing for the realities of classroom
teaching. The Governor's Budget proposes $72 million for
BTSA in 1999-00, an increase of approximately $4.3 million
to ensure that all of the estimated 24,000 first and
second-year certificated teachers are served by BTSA
programs.
Existing law provides for alternative avenues by which a
person may begin teaching within a school district, prior
to becoming fully credentialed. One path provides for a
candidate to concurrently pursue the coursework for a
teaching credential while being employed within a school
district (District and University Internships). Another
path supercedes the process of the traditional path
(five-year credential program) and the two concurrent
strategies just mentioned. This includes:
Emergency Permit . Current law authorizes the CTC to issue
emergency permits to those applicants who are in possession
of a Bachelor's degree, have passed the California Basic
Educational Skills Test (CBEST), and whose district has
declared a need for such a person and demonstrated evidence
of a diligent search to recruit an accredited teacher,
including those pursuing certification through internship,
or pre-internship.
Further, existing law requires that such emergency permit
holders participate in ongoing training, coursework, or
seminars designed to prepare that individual to become a
fully credentialed teacher. An emergency permit is valid
for one-year and renewable on a yearly basis thereafter,
not to exceed four renewals. Prior to each renewal, a
district is required to verify that such applicants are
meeting the ongoing training requirement.
California Pre-Internship Teaching Program . Current law
establishes The California Pre-Internship Teaching Program
(AB 351, Scott: Chapter 934, 1997) providing for the CTC to
establish a district-based Pre-Internship Teaching Program.
Such programs are made available to districts having a
high percentage of teachers who have not completed the
subject matter credential requirements. Participation in
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such programs minimally requires: (a) Bachelor's degree,
(b) passage of CBEST, and (c) a specified number of
completed units in the subject matter to be taught
(specified number is set by the CTC). Those applicants
meeting these requirements receive, a "pre-intern teaching
certificate." Existing law provides that such a
certificate be valid for one-year and renewable for one
additional year.
Current law also requires that each Pre-Intern program
provide support to its participants, as well as the initial
steps toward enabling these candidates to become fully
credentialed teachers. Such programs are collaborative in
nature requiring coordination with district personnel,
experienced teachers, and colleges or universities.
CTC reports that most recent data (1996-97) shows that
approximately 24,051 emergency permits have been issued
statewide. Of those, 11,384 were issued to applicants
teaching within Los Angeles County. Further, CTC reports
that due to the newness of the Pre-Internship program, the
commission does not yet have an account of total
Pre-Internship Teaching certificates issued statewide or
within Los Angeles County since its inception in 1997/98.
This bill states legislative intent to establish a pilot
program that will enhance the retention rate of experienced
qualified teachers, enhance the opportunities for a
credential candidate to successfully complete a
credentialing program, and train teachers for more
effective service in hard to staff schools.
CTC reports that the most recent (1996-97) shows that
approximately 24,051 emergency permits have been issued
statewide. Of those, 11,384 were issued to applicants
teaching in Los Angeles County.
The Governor's proposed budget contains various incentives
and augmentations to credentialing programs for hard to
staff schools. No details of these programs currently are
available. The author intends to move this bill forward as
a potential vehicle pending negotiations with the Governor.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
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Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 1/26/00)
Los Angeles County Office of Education
Los Angeles Unified School District
Legislative Action Coalition for Arts Education
NC:sl 1/26/00 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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